Any sport bike riders here?

[GHOST 2.2]

I'm planning to buy a bike next month or so, just seeing anyone's opinions in regards to the bikes they ridden... and also equipment recommendations

i myself is eyeing a 2007 R6.

what do you ride and why did you choose that bike?

[Jarrett]

I've got a 2002 GSX-R 750 that I haven't ridden in a year and a half. Even then it was only running for a couple of months and down for a year previous to that. I don't mean to say that all bikes are unreliable, but mine hasn't been. It's also not stock. It has cams, full header and exhaust (D&D), Power Programmer a 2+ tooth sprocket in the rear and suspension mods. It's no slouch at all. I have a friend in town with a 408 Trans-Am with a 150-shot that runs a 10.8 and I beat him pretty convincingly. I just got tired of being beat to death by women drivers. I have been pulled out in front of once and had a lady slam on her brakes on the crest of a bridge right in front of me. I don't speed anymore so there's also not much of a point in having such a fast vehicle beyond the fuel economy and cool factor. I got about 36mpg in the city with that combination.

If you get a bike, do not start out with the bike you want to ultimately ride. If you read around on bike forums they will say the exact same thing. There are people who say you will be fine but they are idiots. Guys are too often caught up in their warrior mentality and feel that it would be a personal disservice to be caught on a 250. Truthfully a larger bike can be very dangerous and you just won't be ready for it. Get a smaller bike and learn to ride. Then, when you're comfortable learn to push it to its limits. When your limits exceed the machine's limits you're ready to move up. If you use this method you will be a far better skilled rider for it. Let me make it clear just in case you misunderstood something. If you have no riding experience and you buy a sportbike then you overestimate your skills and you will be a worse rider for it. That's best case scenario. Be smart and learn on something that's more predictable.

[phatdoughnut]

Just get a 1300 busa and get it over with. That way you don't have to spend extra to keep upgrading.........


Take the class to get your license. You learn a lot of good info and how to ride defensively.

[Jarrett]

I was hoping you'd chime in. You've been able to remain content on an SV650 for years now. So your opinion on the patience it should take to learn before moving up should mean even more than mine.

[gloryaccordy]

Def start on a 250 or 500 MAX. Starting on an R6 is like learning to drive in an Ariel Atom. I have a 650 and while I like it now it was too much to start on. Speed was def a factor in my second crash

[phatdoughnut]

Def start on a 250 or 500 MAX. Starting on an R6 is like learning to drive in an Ariel Atom. I have a 650 and while I like it now it was too much to start on. Speed was def a factor in my second crash

You know normally I would agree but I will play devils advocate. If you have never riden before this can be good or bad because the power is much more linear not much power down low unless you rev the fuck out of it and dump the clutch. Where as the twins have a lot of power down low and tend to scare some new riders.

If you are an ass hat and never riden before and you want the mad crotch rocket skillz you are going to die because you are probably going to be trying to reach its limits (in a straight line) and you hardly have any kind of turning skills to avoid shit.


With that said I love my SV because I can tear shit up and max it out in the twisties. Straight line I could careless about.

[Leung]

my older brother started with a moped but that thing didn't last a week before it's cheaply made chinese engine crapped out. Credit card company refunded his money which he ended up getting a late model something 250. He rode that back and forth to work for two years before upgrading to a newer GXR with i think twice the CCs.

Sharp looking bike but you won't catch me on it; I feel unsafe.

[stewie]

this is my current bike as of a few weeks ago:

2005 cbr600RR

love her to death! quick, easy to ride, great to learn on, has enough power to satisfy your needs!!!

was having gold rear sets and a gold steering damper put on

up next...a gold chain to match the rear sets/clutch+brake lever/steering damper


(rear brake peg and foot rest)


(clutch/foot rest)


(scotts steering damper)

[Jarrett]

Having them put on? It's incredibly simple!

Either way, I have the same Scotts damper and it's MUCH better than the OEM piston-style damper that came on the forks. Scotts has been a dream to order replacement parts for, also. To be honest, I forgot I had one until you said it. When I said suspension stuff I was really just thinking about the Penske. I complain to myself about how much coilovers are for our cars. This thing cost twice as much as a set of Function and Form Type 1s and is only 1/4 of the quantity.

Hang on! F2 should make motorcycle shocks! The track day guys would probably talk crap for a while but I think there could be some promise there.

[stretch JDM]

I use to ride a custom 98 CBR900RR . I had a bad wreck on it back in 1999 and broke my chest up badly .After the recovery me and Pop rebuilt it and made a hella profit . The day I laid it down it had rained only in spots and I had a pretty worn out back tire.Sliding on pavement at 60 wasn't as bad as hitting a guard rail in the mid chest area.

[Chrisisiced]

Here is my latest baby.


I've had a 95 CBR900rr and a 98 CBR900rr both bikes were great. They handled beautifully in the corners.

Honestly, it doesn't matter what you get for your first bike. What's really important is the rider mentality. You must respect the machine before you even climb on. It's obviously better to start smaller but even the newer "small" bikes are plenty powerful. I ride my gf's 500 ninja all the time and it can hit 120. The moral of the story is to take it easy and ride safe.

[GhostAccord]

Just put money down on one of these; 83 Suzuki GSR400E



Will have it in my possession in 2 weeks. It is my first bike and for what it cost I figure I would start small and go big later. Besides, this one is a classic!

[Jarrett]

Honestly, it doesn't matter what you get for your first bike. What's really important is the rider mentality. You must respect the machine before you even climb on. It's obviously better to start smaller but even the newer "small" bikes are plenty powerful. I ride my gf's 500 ninja all the time and it can hit 120. The moral of the story is to take it easy and ride safe.

I'm going to ignore the safety issue behind that recommendation you made. At best, someone who does that will learn how to commute back and forth and go fast in a straight line on the highway. You haven't properly developed your riding skills. If you spend your first years babying your motorcycle around turns and trying not being comfortable getting low then you've just hamstrung your skills for the forseeable future. In order to get comfortable with the nuances of how a two-wheeled machine handles and how to flog it in the twisties you need a smaller bike. Something that has limits that are within reach so that a learning rider can push it and not dig himself so far into a hole that it's going to kill him. This argument, sadly, never works. Anyone can always combat it with, "Well I managed just fine." or, "Maybe you can't but I can." So I'm really just wasting my breath. And so are the novels of other threads elsewhere on the internet where veteran riders try as they may to convince beginners to take the smart approach and not go on what they "know".

[Straight Success]

I ride, and do a lot of reading as well.

I'm on my way to the Ducati dealer as we speak. I should be leaving in the 1/2 hour or so.

I'll chime in all the way later.

[MikeW]

You have to be prepared to dump any bike. It happens to everyone. No matter the speed. Every single I person I know that owns, or has ever owned, a bike has dumped a bike at least once. It's just something you need to prepare for, get used to and be ready for.

That being said I've never owned nor ridden one but I'd like to before I do. I'll get my license the right way and start on a smaller bike. A few of my younger friends jumped on the bandwagon with 500s and 650s. One of them recently bought a 1000RR Repsol. Not one of his brighter ideas. Another buddy of mine dumped a bike while test-driving then broke his foot not even two weeks later. Less than a week after getting his cast off, he got another bike.